Alone time

He suggests how much more serious would be our financial situation, caused by the failure of the Scottish banks, if Scotland was independent. However, he ignores the other points which would have been in play in that circumstance.

The proceeds of oil would have been used more effectively by helping to support and make competitive some of the industries closed by Margaret Thatcher's government and to support and develop new industry; instead it payed for mass redundancies with all the initial and ongoing social problems which that caused.

We would have properly supported our fishing industry and would not have allowed the sale of every strategic industry beyond that permitted by almost any other country. We would have instigated an oil fund as Norway has done. We would not have become so dependent on the financial sector and may, therefore, not have been so ready to accept their lack of regulation.

Instead, as part of the UK, we live with the effects of these closures, the ongoing claims of being subsidy junkies, and are the targets of rants like Mr Gilmour's.

In this bad marriage Scots are made to feel inferior until we believe that we are incapable of standing on our own; a technique used to keep partners in their place and under control.

We begin to believe we are over reliant on public sector jobs but in fact we believe in the importance and value of public service and support for the truly less fortunate.

The next time we have the opportunity, we should have the courage to believe in ourselves and our fellow Scots, be confident and vote for independence.

JIM STAMPER

Burnside Road

Rutherglen